J&K security situation `very fragile`: Top Army commander

Jammu: Terming the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir "very fragile" as the state was passing through a sensitive stage of transformation, a top Army official on Wednesday said the terror attacks on sarpanchs and civilians are a cause of worry.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen KT Parnaik said, "We (state) are transforming from high intensity proxy war to lower levels of violence but the situation never the less is very fragile."

He cautioned against "triggers" which could alter the situation in a short span of time.

"The security situation in the state today as general-- I would say is passing through a sensitive stage of transformation," Lt Gen KT Parnaik told reporters.

Lt Gen Parnaik, who inaugurated a three-day mela organised by the army in Nowshera border belt, 130 kms from here, was replying to questions on security situation inside and border areas of the state.

"Therefore, there are three things which are important-- first thing-- ability to check and prevent infiltration-- to that extent we have strengthen our deployment along LoC and we are ensuring that maximum infiltration attempts are negated," he said.

Lt Gen Parnaik further said "however, some infiltration bids do succeed and as result there is influx of some new terrorists in the state-- but they have not been able to create any perceptible violence".

"The worry is that they have been targetting police, sarpanches and other civilians-- it is a cause of worry," he said adding "the need of the day is to dominate areas and not to allow resurgence of terrorism in the state that is our focus".

Regarding another question about the killing of militants this year, he said that 44 militants have been killed and 24 have been arrested in 2012. The militants have been neutralised, their leadership have also been eliminated and infiltration is down, he added.

When asked about the revocation of Armed forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA), Lt Gen Parnaik said "I have been repeatedly answering this question-- we have already presented our viewpoint to the state and the central government over the issue-- it is upto Centre to take the decision on it".

"But I do not want that there should be confrontation over the issue," he said and questioned whether people want peace to prevail in the state and the peace is already prevailing.

"Our endeavour is to continue such activities to ensure that militants do not get any space to create such a situation which was witnessed in 1990-2003," he said adding "our aim is to stamp out terrorism and when the level of terrorism will fall, the government will able to focus on development and progress".

Replying to another question about the place of arrest of suspect of Kandahar hijacking case, Mehrajuddin Wani alias Javed Daand, he said that he was arrested from Kishtwar in a joint operation of Army and police on the information provided by the Intelligence Agencies.

"He is being interrogated at JIC and once the interrogation is complete, things about him would be cleared," he said.

Replying to the question about his involvement in hijacking case from Nepal to Kandhar, Lt Gen Parnaik said "it is being said".

He said that Javed is an old militant and involved in number of events. He has been in Pakistan and Nepal so there is a lot to know about him.

Referring to another question about security concerns due to detection of tunnel in Indian territory in Samba sector from Pakistan, he said "International Border (IB) is under BSF-- BSF is investigating into it with intelligence agencies".

"Army will provide full help whenever they asked for as it is a serious development," he added.

There is also concern that on one side the hand of friendship is being extended (by Pakistan) and on the other side such acts are being done which is against the spirit of Confidence Building Measures, he said.